Movable key device for musical instruments having keys



E. WILLEMS 1,901,214

MOVABLE KEY DEVICE FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS HAVING KEYS March 14, 1933.

Filed Aug. 20, 1932 Fly. 5.

I lLp'U Patented Mar. 14, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDGARWILLEJES, F CHliiNES-BOUGERIES, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND Application filedAugust 20, 1932, Serial No.

The object of the present invention is a movable key device for musicalinstruments having keys, such as pianos or harmoniums for example. 7

The aim of this device is to allow the musical development of the ear,by enabling cords and intervals to be formed on musical instrumentshaving keys, without their being known beforehand, in such a way that itis necessary to guess them by means of the ear.

The principal object of the invention is a device of this kindestablished insuch a way that the keys of the device hide the keys ofthe instrument, said keys of the device being arranged to correspond tothe keys of the instrument, all being placed at the same height and atthe same distance apart, hav ing the same length and the same colour, in

0 such a way that itrwould be impossible to recognize, by sight or bytouch, which key of the instrument is situated under any given key ofthe device placed on the keyboard of the instrument.

The annexed drawing represents, by way of example, one form of executionof the device according to the invention.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are respectively a longitudinal vertical section viewof the device,

# passing through the line II of Fig. 3, a

lateral elevation, and a plan.

Figs. 4 and 5 are transverse vertical sec- 7 tion views through thelines IV-IV, VV of Fig. 1.

Figs. 6 and 7 are a front View and an end view, respectively, of a blockserving for striking several cords at once.

This form of execution comprises a rectangular frame I) constituting thesupport 3 mentioned in the introduction, made of a sheet of metal, theside of which presents upper horizontal and. inclined surfaces andlateral vertical surfaces. Its small sides comprise, in the inside,blocks a, of wood for 145 example, intended to rest on the keyboard ofthe instrument and furnished with coverings 0, in cloth for example.

The blocks a present, near one of their ends. recesses (Z in which. liesa cylindrical metal rod 6. It is furnished with keys 7, g, I

629,561, and in Switzerland August 1, 1932.

made of wood, and painted all in black for example, arranged side byside, able to turn on the rod, separated one from the other and y fromthe small sides of the frame by metal rings h. The keys 7, intended torest upon the black notes of the instrument, are c0mposed solely of abody i, the keys 9, which come to bear upon the white notes, beingcomposed of a body c' and a lower projection 7'. The bodies 2' of allthe keys f, g are 69 identical the one with the other as regards theirform, colour, position and arrangement on the rod 6: they have the formof upright prisms with rectangular bases, nevertheless presenting aninclined plane is on their upper surface. The projections j have alsothe form of upright prisms with rectangular bases and are integra-l'withthe bodies The distances between the various keys are equal. 70 Themetal sheet 6 extends into the inside of the frame on the two long sidesof this latter, in Z and m, it hides the two ends of various keys andforms a rectangular window it through which the middle portions only ofthe keys appear. The coverings 0, p, in cloth for example, are fixed tothe parts Z, m and limit the rotary movement of the keys f, g in bothdirections.

The form of execution described is em- :ployed as follows: 7

It is placed on the keyboard of the instru- 'ment, of a piano forexample, in such a way thatits keys 7 rest upon the black notes of theinstrument, and its keys 9 on the white notes. Thanks to the precautionstaken, all

its keys f, g,are of the same height, the

same width and the same colour, and separated one from the other by thesame distance they hide the keys of the keyboard. It is therefore notpossible to know by means of the eye or the touch which keys of thekeyboard are situated under such and such a key of the device. A

If, under these conditions, a cord or an interval is struck, the earalone can determine what notes havebeen touched, without being guided orhelped by any sensation of touch or sight.

The cords or intervals may be struck directly' with the hand or use maybe made of flat straight blocks 0 (Fig. 6 and 7) presenting lowerprojections 12 which enable several notes to'be struck at the ,sametime, these projections p being situated at a given distance apart; thenature of the cord or interval may be indicated on the lower surface ofthe corresponding block.

The frame, and t ne arrangement of the keys in this latter, may differfrom that indicated.

port on which the keys are arranged, the said keys hiding the notes ofthe instrument, havingthe same height, the same length, the

same colour and being situated at the same distance one from the other,each forming an'intermediary by which the note of the instrumentsituated underneath the key of the device may be struck.

2. Movable key device for musical instruments having keys,-for themusical development of the ear, intended to be placed on the keys of theinstrument and comprising a support on which the keys are arranged, thesaid keys hiding the notes of the instrument, having the same height,the same length, the same colour and being situated at the same distanceone from the other, these keys com prising identical bodies, thoseintended to come to bear upon the white notes of the instrument furtherpresenting a lower projection intended to maintain them at the sameheight as the other keys resting on the black notes of the instrumentwhen the device is placed on the keyboard.

3. Movable key device for musical instruments having keys, for themusical development of the ear, intended to be'placed on the keys of theinstrument and comprising a support on which the keys are arranged, the.said keys hiding the notes of the instrument,

having the same height, the same length, the same colour and beingsituated at the same distance one from theother, these keys beingarranged on a common member around which they can turn and separatedfrom each other by rings also borne by this member, the latterresting'in a support in the form of a metal frame.

4. Movable key device for musical instrument having keys, for themusical development of the ear, intended to be placed on the keys of theinstrument and comprising a support on which the keys are. arranged, thesaid keys hiding the notes of the instrument, having the same height,the same length the same colour and being situated at the same distanceone from the other, these keys being arranged on a common member aroundwhich they can turn and separated from each other by rings also borne bythis member, the latter resting in a support in the form of a metalframe, this latter hiding the two ends of the various keys of thedevice.

5; Movable key device for musical instruments having keys, for themusical development of the ear, intended to be'placed on the keys of theinstrument and comprising a sup port on whichthe keys are arranged, thesaid keys hiding the notes of the instrument, having the same height,the same length, the same colour and being situated at the same distanceone from the other, these-keys being arranged on a common member aroundwhich they can turn and separated from each other by rings also borne bythis member, the latter resting in a support in the form of a metalframe, this latter being furnished with non-metal parts by means ofwhich it comes on which it is desired to place the device..

6. Movable key device formusical instruments having keys, for themusical development of the ear, intended to be placed on the keys of theinstrument and comprising a support on which the keys are arranged, thesaid keys hiding the notesof the instrument,

having the same height, the same length, the same colour and beingsituated at the same distance one from the other, these keys beingarranged on a common member around which they can turn and separatedfrom each other by rings alsoborne by this member, the

latter resting ina support in; the form of a metal frame, this metalframe presenting non-metal coverings intended to limit the movement ofthe keys of the device in both directions of rotation.

.. In testimony whereof I have nature.

' EDGAR. WILLEMS.

tobearupon the keyboard of the instrument

